Preface

Here are my online notes for my Calculus I course that I teach here at Lamar University. Despite
the fact that these are my class notes they should be accessible to anyone wanting to learn
Calculus I or needing a refresher in some of the early topics in calculus.
Ive tried to make these notes as self contained as possible and so all the information needed to
read through them is either from an Algebra or Trig class or contained in other sections of the
notes.
Here are a couple of warnings to my students who may be here to get a copy of what happened on
a day that you missed.
1. Because I wanted to make this a fairly complete set of notes for anyone wanting to learn
calculus I have included some material that I do not usually have time to cover in class
and because this changes from semester to semester it is not noted here. You will need to
find one of your fellow class mates to see if there is something in these notes that wasnt
covered in class.
2. Because I want these notes to provide some more examples for you to read through, I
dont always work the same problems in class as those given in the notes. Likewise, even
if I do work some of the problems in here I may work fewer problems in class than are
presented here.
3. Sometimes questions in class will lead down paths that are not covered here. I try to
anticipate as many of the questions as possible when writing these up, but the reality is
that I cant anticipate all the questions. Sometimes a very good question gets asked in
class that leads to insights that Ive not included here. You should always talk to
someone who was in class on the day you missed and compare these notes to their notes
and see what the differences are.
4. This is somewhat related to the previous three items, but is important enough to merit its
own item. THESE NOTES ARE NOT A SUBSTITUTE FOR ATTENDING CLASS!!
Using these notes as a substitute for class is liable to get you in trouble. As already noted
not everything in these notes is covered in class and often material or insights not in these
notes is covered in class.

Calculus I

Review:SolvingTrigEquations
In this section we will take a look at solving trig equations. This is something that you will be
asked to do on a fairly regular basis in my class.
Lets just jump into the examples and see how to solve trig equations.

Example 1 Solve 2 cos ( t ) = 3 .

Solution
Theres really not a whole lot to do in solving this kind of trig equation. All we need to do is
divide both sides by 2 and the go to the unit circle.

2 cos ( t ) = 3
cos ( t ) =

3
2

So, we are looking for all the values of t for which cosine will have the value of

3
. So, lets
2

take a look at the following unit circle.

From quick inspection we can see that t =

2007 Paul Dawkins

6
2

is a solution. However, as I have shown on the unit

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Calculus I

circle there is another angle which will also be a solution. We need to determine what this angle
is. When we look for these angles we typically want positive angles that lie between 0 and 2 .
This angle will not be the only possibility of course, but by convention we typically look for
angles that meet these conditions.
To find this angle for this problem all we need to do is use a little geometry. The angle in the first
quadrant makes an angle of

quadrant. So we could use

t = 2

with the positive x-axis, then so must the angle in the fourth

, but again, its more common to use positive angles so, well use

11
.
6

We arent done with this problem. As the discussion about finding the second angle has shown
there are many ways to write any given angle on the unit circle. Sometimes it will be

that

we want for the solution and sometimes we will want both (or neither) of the listed angles.
Therefore, since there isnt anything in this problem (contrast this with the next problem) to tell
us which is the correct solution we will need to list ALL possible solutions.
This is very easy to do. Recall from the previous section and youll see there that I used

+ 2 n , n = 0, 1, 2, 3,

to represent all the possible angles that can end at the same location on the unit circle, i.e. angles
that end at

. Remember that all this says is that we start at

then rotate around in the

counter-clockwise direction (n is positive) or clockwise direction (n is negative) for n complete

rotations. The same thing can be done for the second solution.
So, all together the complete solution to this problem is

+ 2 n , n = 0, 1, 2, 3,
6
11
+ 2 n , n = 0, 1, 2, 3,
6
As a final thought, notice that we can get

by using n = 1 in the second solution.

Now, in a calculus class this is not a typical trig equation that well be asked to solve. A more
typical example is the next one.

2007 Paul Dawkins

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Calculus I

Example 2 Solve 2 cos ( t ) = 3 on [2 , 2 ] .

Solution
In a calculus class we are often more interested in only the solutions to a trig equation that fall in
a certain interval. The first step in this kind of problem is to first find all possible solutions. We
did this in the first example.

+ 2 n , n = 0, 1, 2, 3,
6
11
+ 2 n , n = 0, 1, 2, 3,
6
Now, to find the solutions in the interval all we need to do is start picking values of n, plugging
them in and getting the solutions that will fall into the interval that weve been given.
n=0.

+ 2 ( 0 ) =

< 2
6
6
11
11
+ 2 ( 0 ) =
< 2
6
6
Now, notice that if we take any positive value of n we will be adding on positive multiples of 2
onto a positive quantity and this will take us past the upper bound of our interval and so we dont
need to take any positive value of n.
However, just because we arent going to take any positive value of n doesnt mean that we
shouldnt also look at negative values of n.
n=-1.

+ 2 ( 1) =

11
> 2
6

6
11

+ 2 ( 1) = > 2
6
6

These are both greater than 2 and so are solutions, but if we subtract another 2 off (i.e use
n = 2 ) we will once again be outside of the interval so weve found all the possible solutions
that lie inside the interval [2 , 2 ] .

So, the solutions are :

11
6

11
.
6

So, lets see if youve got all this down.

2007 Paul Dawkins

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Calculus I

Example 3 Solve 2sin ( 5 x ) = 3 on [ , 2 ]

Solution
This problem is very similar to the other problems in this section with a very important
difference. Well start this problem in exactly the same way. We first need to find all possible
solutions.

2sin(5 x) = 3
sin(5 x) =
So, we are looking for angles that will give

3
2

3
out of the sine function. Lets again go to our
2

trusty unit circle.

Now, there are no angles in the first quadrant for which sine has a value of

3
. However,
2

there are two angles in the lower half of the unit circle for which sine will have a value of

3
.
2

3

, so the angle in the third quadrant will be
=
3 2

So, what are these angles? Well notice sin

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Calculus I

below the negative x-axis or +

below the positive x-axis or 2

3
=

. Likewise, the angle in the fourth quadrant will

3
3

5
. Remember that were typically looking for positive
3

angles between 0 and 2 .

Now we come to the very important difference between this problem and the previous problems
in this section. The solution is NOT

4
+ 2 n, n = 0, 1, 2,
3
5
+ 2 n, n = 0, 1, 2,
x=
3
x=

This is not the set of solutions because we are NOT looking for values of x for which

3
3
, but instead we are looking for values of x for which sin ( 5 x ) =
. Note the
2
2
difference in the arguments of the sine function! One is x and the other is 5x . This makes all the
sin ( x ) =

difference in the world in finding the solution! Therefore, the set of solutions is

4
+ 2 n, n = 0, 1, 2,
3
5
5x =
+ 2 n, n = 0, 1, 2,
3
5x =

Well, actually, thats not quite the solution. We are looking for values of x so divide everything
by 5 to get.

4 2 n
, n = 0, 1, 2,
+
15
5
2 n
, n = 0, 1, 2,
x= +
3
5
Notice that we also divided the 2 n by 5 as well! This is important! If we dont do that you
WILL miss solutions. For instance, take n = 1 .
x=

x=
x=

4 2 10 2
+
=
=
15 5
15
3

2 11
=
5
15

2
sin 5
3

11
sin 5
15

10
= sin

=
2

11
= sin
=
2

Ill leave it to you to verify my work showing they are solutions. However it makes the point. If
you didnt divided the 2 n by 5 you would have missed these solutions!
Okay, now that weve gotten all possible solutions its time to find the solutions on the given
interval. Well do this as we did in the previous problem. Pick values of n and get the solutions.

2007 Paul Dawkins

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Calculus I

n = 0.

4 2 ( 0 ) 4
+
=
< 2
15
5
15
2 ( 0 )
x= +
= < 2
3
5
3
x=

n = 1.

4 2 (1) 2
+
=
< 2
15
5
3
2 (1) 11
x= +
=
< 2
3
5
15
x=

n = 2.

4 2 ( 2 ) 16
+
=
< 2
15
5
15
2 ( 2 ) 17
x= +
=
< 2
3
5
15
x=

n = 3.

4 2 ( 3) 22
+
=
< 2
15
5
15
2 ( 3) 23
x= +
=
< 2
3
5
15
x=

n = 4.

4 2 ( 4 ) 28
+
=
< 2
15
5
15
2 ( 4 ) 29
x= +
=
< 2
3
5
15
x=

n = 5.

4 2 ( 5 ) 34
+
=
> 2
15
5
15
2 ( 5 ) 35
x= +
=
> 2
3
5
15
x=

Okay, so we finally got past the right endpoint of our interval so we dont need any more positive
n. Now lets take a look at the negative n and see what weve got.
n = 1 .

4 2 ( 1)
2
+
=
>
15
5
15
2 ( 1)

x= +
= >
3
5
15
x=

2007 Paul Dawkins

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Calculus I

n = 2.

4 2 ( 2 )
8
+
=
>
15
5
15
2 ( 2 )
7
x= +
=
>
3
5
15
x=

n = 3.

4 2 ( 3)
14
+
=
>
15
5
15
2 ( 3)
13
x= +
=
>
3
5
15
x=

n = 4.

4 2 ( 4 )
4
+
=
<
15
5
3
2 ( 4 )
19
x= +
=
<
3
5
15
x=

And were now past the left endpoint of the interval. Sometimes, there will be many solutions as
there were in this example. Putting all of this together gives the following set of solutions that lie
in the given interval.

4 2 11 16 17 22 23 28 29
, ,
,
,
,
,
,
,
,
15 3 3 15 15 15 15 15 15 15
2 7 8 13 14

,
, ,
,
,
15 15 15 15
15
15
Lets work another example.

3 3
Example 4 Solve sin ( 2 x ) = cos ( 2 x ) on ,
2 2
Solution
This problem is a little different from the previous ones. First, we need to do some rearranging
and simplification.

sin(2 x) = cos(2 x)
sin(2 x)
= 1
cos(2 x)
tan ( 2 x ) = 1
So, solving sin(2 x) = cos(2 x) is the same as solving tan(2 x) = 1 . At some level we didnt
need to do this for this problem as all were looking for is angles in which sine and cosine have
the same value, but opposite signs. However, for other problems this wont be the case and well
want to convert to tangent.

2007 Paul Dawkins

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Calculus I

Looking at our trusty unit circle it appears that the solutions will be,

3
+ 2 n, n = 0, 1, 2,
4
7
2x =
+ 2 n, n = 0, 1, 2,
4
2x =

Or, upon dividing by the 2 we get all possible solutions.

3
+ n, n = 0, 1, 2,
8
7
+ n, n = 0, 1, 2,
x=
8
x=

Now, lets determine the solutions that lie in the given interval.
n = 0.

3
3 3
+ ( 0) =
<
8
8
2
7
7 3
+ ( 0) =
<
x=
8
8
2
x=

n = 1.

3
11 3
+ (1) =
<
8
8
2
7
15 3
+ (1) =
>
x=
8
8
2
x=

Unlike the previous example only one of these will be in the interval. This will happen
occasionally so dont always expect both answers from a particular n to work. Also, we should
now check n=2 for the first to see if it will be in or out of the interval. Ill leave it to you to check
that its out of the interval.
Now, lets check the negative n.
n = 1.

3
5
3
+ ( 1) =
>
8
8
2
7
3

+ ( 1) = >
x=
8
8
2
x=

n = 2.

3
13
3
+ ( 2 ) =
<
8
8
2
7
9
3
+ ( 2 ) =
>
x=
8
8
2
x=

Again, only one will work here. Ill leave it to you to verify that n = 3 will give two answers
2007 Paul Dawkins

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Calculus I

that are both out of the interval.

The complete list of solutions is then,

9 5 3 7 11
, , , ,
,
8
8
8 8 8 8

Lets work one more example so that I can make a point that needs to be understood when
solving some trig equations.

Example 5 Solve cos ( 3 x ) = 2 .

Solution
This example is designed to remind you of certain properties about sine and cosine. Recall that

1 cos ( ) 1 and 1 sin ( ) 1 . Therefore, since cosine will never be greater that 1 it
definitely cant be 2. So THERE ARE NO SOLUTIONS to this equation!
It is important to remember that not all trig equations will have solutions.
In this section we solved some simple trig equations. There are more complicated trig equations
that we can solve so dont leave this section with the feeling that there is nothing harder out there
in the world to solve. In fact, well see at least one of the more complicated problems in the next
section. Also, every one of these problems came down to solutions involving one of the
common or standard angles. Most trig equations wont come down to one of those and will
in fact need a calculator to solve. The next section is devoted to this kind of problem.

2007 Paul Dawkins

10

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